Outside her house Pinkie Pie began to sing.
“Good morning Ponyville and a Hearts and Hooves day to you“
Bon Bon groaned and turned over and tried to ignore her singing. It only grew more intense. She groaned once more and turned over again to face the window. The morning sunlight shined through and onto her face, gently warming her coat. She sat up in bed, her messy, multicoloured mane dropping down her back. She stretched and climbed out of her comfortable spot for the day. She moved over the windows, grabbed them, and slammed them shut, locking out the Pink pony's cheerful tune. Bon Bon turned and headed towards her bathroom. As she trotted over to the bathroom she yawned. She opened the glass cabinet door in the bathroom and took out some toothpaste, brushed her teeth and making them gleam. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She looked like a mess. She dreaded this day. The day all her happiness and her misery had occurred. She entered her bedroom and went for the small oak drawer located to the left of her cream coloured bed. The groggy pony looked inside, her eyes shifting through all the mare’s perfume and make-up. Then she spotted it, the all too familiar metallic gleam. She plunged her hoof in and pulled it out of the sea of clutter. It was a steel metal chain, and hung from it was a golden wedding ring. Bon Bon sighed and held it to her chest. It was cold. She wished it wasn't. She hung it around her neck. Bon Bon brushed her mane half heartedly and ambled downstairs. She trotted slowly into her kitchen and grabbed a slice of toast that was prepared yesterday. She quickly took a few bites before she discarded it in the bin. She turned and trotted over to the door. After a few moments she sighed and swung open the front door, stumbling out into the light.
“Time to remember” Bon Bon mumbled.
“Come on, lets go inside. I need to buy some sweets for my special somepony. It is Hearts and hooves day after all” Lyra’s friend pleaded with her.
“Fine” Lyra sighed. She hated hearts and Hooves day. It was pointless. Mainly because she could never find anypony, but still. She hated going to Sweet shops too. They were too colourful. Not that Equestria wasn't colourful, they were just overpowering to her. They smelled too sweet too. She walked in and glanced around. All the colours made her eyes hurt. Bright yellows and greens. Purples and Blues. Then she cast a glance towards the counter. There was a mare there. She had bright, blue eyes, Multicoloured mane and gorgeous smile. Her friend noticed her staring.
“Lyra, If you like her, then ask her out.”
Lyra blushed. Though she'd never admit it publicly, she was always more into mares. “Its fine.” Lyra said. “She's probably not into mares.”
Lyra watched as the mare took orders and rushed about for customers, gathering them sweets. She hadn't realised, but she'd be stood there for nearly half an hour, stuck in a trance. Suddenly, the mare smiled at her and started to trot towards her. Lyra's heart started to race.
“Hello, I'm Bon Bon, can I help you?” She had a beautiful voice.
“Would you like to go to dinner with me” Lyra blurted out. She turned red as she realised what she just said, and rushed out of the shop. She sat slouched on a bench across the street, her mind racing. As she got up to leave, she saw the mare leave the shop and trot over to her.
“Umm...excuse me, I didn't catch you name” she asked.
“Err...Lyra” She said sheepishly.
“Well Lyra, I'd love to go to dinner with you. I've always been more into mares.” she said, and winked. “Come by at eight. I'll be ready.”
Bon Bon smiled at this memory and looked up, checking where she was trotting. She had been following Ponyville's river, the sun glistening and dancing off the water’s surface. There were couples resting along the river bank, happy and innocent. Able to share their secrets with their loved ones. So unaware that it could all be taken away, all end in a single moment. Bon Bon turned her head from them. Never had she felt so alone, so dead inside. She fell back into her memories.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves day, my love” Bon Bon said lovingly as they walked along the banks of the river.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves day Bon Bon” Lyra said back, smiling.
“I have a surprise for you” Bon Bon said, and with that she knelt down on one knee and pulled out a shining, golden ring.
“Marry me”
Lyra was taken back. She looked around, taking in the scenery. The green grass, the bright gold sun reflecting from surface of the calm Ponyville river. She looked back at her marefriend and opened her mouth to answer. Suddenly Bon Bon lost her bearings and slipped down the grassy riverbank, splashing into the river, creating ripples and distorting the sun's reflection. Lyra rushed down to the bank to help the flailing mare. Lyra pulled her ashore with her magic and laughed all the while.
“Yes” she said as she pulled her close, and with that, they kissed passionately.
Bon Bon came back to reality, tears running down her cheeks. Ponies were pointing, whispering. She didn’t care. She found the spot, and slumped to the ground. This was the place where she proposed, all those years ago. This was the place she became the happiest mare alive. This was the place she lost everything. Bon Bon began to remember. Began to remember the most painful memory. The one she’d been trying to run from for all these years.
Lyra and Bon Bon trotted along the river bank. It was a cold, miserable day, but they were determined not to let that ruin their day.
“So, Bon Bon.” Lyra said, looking over to her partner. “Watcha thinking right now?”
“What am I thinking?” Bon Bon asked. “Well, I'm thinking that it is appalling that the weather team hasn't cleared the river yet. Look at all that ice!” Bon Bon said as she looked toward the river. It was frozen over. The ice sparkled and shone. It was magical, like something out of a fairy tale.
“Don't be silly, I mean about tonight! What we gonna do tonight?” Lyra asked, playfully pushing her. Bon Bon knew what she was getting at. It was their anniversary after all.
“You'll have to wait and see” Bon Bon laughed, as she pushed her wife back. Lyra lost her balance and stumbled and fell towards the ice. Bon Bon watched in shock as her beloved hit the ice hard and fell through into the icy depths. Bon Bon dashed forward and stood over the ice hole. She peered in. When she couldn't see Lyra she panicked. She look around, and seeing that nopony was there to help, decided what to do. She quickly dived into the hole. It was cold, freezing even. Colder than anything she'd ever experienced. Her breath held, she looked around. Below her was the cyan pony. She had her hoof caught in some reeds. Bon Bon quickly swam down to help her. She went straight for the reeds and gave it a pull. They wouldn't move. She looked up to Lyra to see her eyelids flicker shut. Bon Bon swam up to her and kissed her. She breathed into her mouth and gave her partner some oxygen. Lyra looked Bon Bon In the eyes. She moved a hoof up to her horn and slipped off her wedding ring. She placed it in Bon Bon's hoof and held it for a few seconds. With tears in her eyes, she summoned the last of her strength to pull her lover off her with magic and then levitate her back to the water's surface. Bon Bon tried to resist, but it was in vain. She broke the water as she tearfully watched Lyra open her mouth and word 'I love you'. Then the cyan pony closed her eyes. Bon Bon laid next to the hole, crying, clutching the wedding ring close to her chest.
Bon Bon opened her eyes, the memory unbearable. Tears now fell uncontrollably from her eyes. They flowed defiantly down her cheeks. If only she'd been stronger. If only she didn't push her. If only. Bon Bon thought that a lot. Every year she made this trek, blaming herself. Telling herself that it was all her fault. Then she thought. Lyra sacrificed herself to save her. It was her fault Lyra drowned. She needed to forget. She needed to forget the bad. She wanted, no, needed to remember the happy times with Lyra. To be thankful that she got the privilege to spend time with that wonderful mare. She kept crying. She didn't know how. She had to let go, but she couldn't. She sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. As she stood up she heard the all too familiar jingle from her chest. She looked down to see the ring dangling from her neck. Then it hit her. The ring, the ritual she did every year. They kept dragging up the past, those terrible memories. After a long thought she decided what to do. She pulled off the steel necklace. She held the dull, gold ring to her heart for a few seconds, kissed it, pulled back her foreleg and threw. It sailed through the air. As it broke the surface of the blue water ripples were sent in every direction. Bon Bon watched it sink as she wiped her eyes once more and dusted herself down. She then turned and began to trot home.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves day my love” she murmured to herself.
